Returns improve for Riverland grape growers

The wine crush report for the 2012 season showed a $31 million boost in returns for Riverland growers.

The report by the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia found the region's winegrape industry was worth $136 million.

Production rates rose, with the region recording a 29,000-tonne increase in yield over the year before.

Board CEO Alan Nankivell said the result came after a poor year in 2011.

"It's certainly showing that our production figures overall in the state are just marginally up this last year by 20,000 tonnes roughly over the previous year, however the previous year was a very bad year for production," he said.

"We've turned a corner and the trends are that not only the production is increasing but the price per tonne is increasing back to growers."